U.S. Sen. Cory Booker Statement on Senate Unemployment Extension Vote

U.S. Sen.
Cory Booker (D-NJ) today issued the following statement after the Senate failed to pass an extension of long-term unemployment insurance:

"I am extremely disappointed that my colleagues across the aisle continue to stand in the way of desperately needed assistance for more than 1.6 million Americans, including more than 100,000 New Jerseyans, who continue to look for work in a job market where there are still roughly three job seekers for every job available.

"It is simply unprecedented for Congress to allow extended unemployment benefits to expire when the long-term unemployment rate is as high as it is today and for good reason. Not only is it a callous abdication of our responsibility to help people in need, it is also bad economic policy. Failure to extend unemployment insurance will cost 240,000 jobs this year.

"I have spoken with so many people across New Jersey who are hurting - whose families are hurting - because of Congress's failure to extend unemployment insurance. Folks like James and Cheryl from Middlesex, both of whom were laid off and are now applying for jobs every day, while struggling to put food on the table for their young son each night. Families like these shouldn't have to wait for assistance that Congress has always authorized in the past.

"Every week Congress fails to act, another 70,000 Americans will lose their unemployment insurance. I pledge to keep pushing to reinstate extended unemployment insurance and to fight for new initiatives to get jobless New Jerseyans back to work."